Taiwan has detained an army officer and several collaborators on suspicion of handing military secrets to China

Candidates in the Republican Party primary field have given their initial reaction to the news that lead 2024 contender Donald Trump has been notified by the Department of Justice of his status as a target of the investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot. It is the first real confirmation that he could face criminal charges for his role in the 2021 siege of Capitol Hill. Mr Trump wrote in a lengthy statement delivered via his Truth Social platform that special counsel Jack Smith had notified him via letter on Sunday about the development; The Independent had previously reported that Mr Smith was preparing a superseding indictment for the former president related to the Jan 6 attack. Former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was interviewed on Fox News shortly after the news broke and used it as an opportunity to reiterate the need for a generational change in the party to move on from the distractions of the Trump era. “The rest of this primary election is going to be in reference to Trump, is going to be about lawsuits, is going to be about legal fees, it’s going to be about judges and it’s going to continue to be a further and further distraction,” she said. “And that is why I am running. It’s because we need a new generational leader. We can’t keep dealing with this drama. We can’t keep dealing with the negativity.” Among the first to react was former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson who reiterated his call for Mr Trump to suspend his 2024 campaign. In a statement released by Asa for America, he said: “I have said from the beginning that Donald Trump’s actions on January 6 should disqualify him from ever being President again. As a former federal prosecutor, I understand the severity of Grand Jury investigations and what it means to be targeted by such an investigation.” He continued: “Donald Trump has confirmed that he is a target of this investigation and will likely be indicted once again. While Donald Trump would like the American people to believe that he is the victim in this situation, the truth is that the real victims of January 6th were our democracy, our rule of law, and those Capitol Police officers who worked valiantly to protect our Capitol. Mr Hutchinson concluded: “Anyone who truly loves this country and is willing to put the country over themselves would suspend their campaign for President of the United States immediately. It is disappointing that Donald Trump refuses to do so.” Meanwhile, speaking at a campaign event in South Carolina, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said about Mr Trump’s reaction to January 6: “I think it was shown how he was in the White House and didn’t do anything while things were going on. He should have come out more forcefully,” he said. “But to try to criminalise that, that’s a different issue entirely.” He adds: “Criminal charges is not just because you may have done something wrong. It’s: Did you behave criminally? .... I think what we’ve seen in this country is an attempt to criminalise politics and to try to criminalize differences.” Read More Next Trump indictment could drop as soon as this week Trump says he is about to be arrested again after letter confirms he’s target of Jan 6 grand jury Trump is hoarding Israeli antiquities at Mar-a-Lago, report claims DeSantis becomes first major party candidate to enter South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary Next Trump indictment could drop as soon as this week Ron DeSantis giving interview to CNN as 2024 primary campaign stagnates - latest Trump says he is about to be arrested as letter confirms he’s target of Jan 6 probe

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As Donald Trump’s lawyers began preparing for a federal indictment, the ex-president was allegedly still hoping to get the documents and boxes seized from Mar-a-Lago back, according to a report. Mr Trump referred to the classified material as “my boxes” and “my documents” and asked his lawyers to retrieve the material, sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Rolling Stone. The Independent has reached out to Mr Trump for comment. Throughout special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Mr Trump’s alleged mishandling of the material and after his indictment, the ex-president has maintained his innocence and claimed ownership over the documents under the Presidential Records Act. “Under the Presidential Records Act — which is civil, not criminal — I had every right to have these documents,” Mr Trump said in a speech at his New Jersey golf club following his arraignment on federal charges. Last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized multiple boxes of documents, of which 21 were labelled “Top Secret” and some contained information related to nuclear weaponry of the United States Mr Trump was indicted on 37 counts related to willful retention of national defence information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record, concealing a document in a federal investigation, scheme to conceal and making false statements and representations. The FBI forcibly seized the classified material after discovering Mr Trump had allegedly not turned over documents from his time in office. “In addition to having every right under the Presidential Records Act, is that these boxes were containing all types of personal belongings — many, many things, shirts and shoes, everything,” Mr Trump added. Under the Presidential Records Act, Mr Trump was required to turn over all records to the National Archives or go through the proper steps to dispose of records that no longer held administrative, historical, informational or evidentiary value. To do so, Mr Trump would have had to seek the views of the Archivist of the United States. Over and over again on Truth Social and in speeches, Mr Trump has cited this law, incorrectly, to assert his ownership. Even in the indictment, which was unsealed earlier this month, one of Mr Trump’s attorneys testified to federal investigators that the former president did not want to hand over the classified material when the federal government requested it. The attorney alleged that Mr Trump told him “I don’t want anybody looking through my boxes” and allegedly suggested they “just don’t respond at all” to investigators requesting Mr Trump return the boxes. Mr Trump was arraigned on his indictment earlier this month in Miami, Florida. Read More Prosecutors are prepared to hit Trump and his allies with new charges, sources say Top Trump aide revealed as individual he allegedly showed classified map, report says Trump news - live: DoJ prepared for more charges as insider trading scheme uncovered at Trump Media SPAC New ad mocks Trump’s excuse that he was too ‘busy’ to hand back boxes of secret government intel Is Donald Trump going to prison? Trump fumes about ‘illegally leaked’ CNN tape of him boasting about classified documents

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